Filter



Jan. 4, 1966 R, K, HATHAWAY ETAL 3,227,280

FILTER Original Filed Nov. 18, 1959 w IZ 4 Company, Racine, Wis., acorporation of Delaware, and

Wells Manufacturing Corporation, Fond du Lac, Wis., `a corporation ofWisconsin 1 Continuation of application Ser. No.

1959. This application` Jan. 15,1963, Ser. No. 251,694

2 Claims.` (Cl. 210-438) This application is a Continuation ofapplication Serial No. 853,937, filed November 18, 1959, and nowabandoned. t c c This invention relates pr1marily to filters, and moreparticularly to an improved type of filter `element or 853,937, Nrw. 1s,

3,227,289 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 ICC and a 90 turn at the outlet end withthe result that the momentum of entrained particles will tend toseparate them from the fluid at points where they can be properly ccollected.

, of the fuel system. The housing 12 has an annular outcartridge thatmay be used inl automotive fuel pumps t as well as in otherapplications.

Filters previously used in fuel pumps have ranged from a flat, coarsescreen to a cup-shaped fiberor ceramic element. None have` been fullysatisfactoryone reason being that there is either little filtration orlow capacity and, to our knowledge, no previous design possessed the`desired combination of high filtration and hlgh capacity. 1

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an -improvedfilter element for use in the fuel pumpof an internal combustion engine,,and one which will remove very small particles from the fluid streamwithout unduly restricting fluid flow. t

Another object is toprovide a throw-away type pleated paper filterelement for air and fluid lines of many types.

Another object of the present invent-ion is to provide an improvedfilter element which can be used in the glass sediment bowls of existingfuel pumps as a substitute for the filter elements now in use. l l

Another object of the present invention 1s to `prov1de a combinationfilter element and gasket which can be easily installed and assembled inthe proper location as compared with existing' arrangements,

An additional object of thepresent invention is to provide a combinationfilter and sealing element that coop-` erates in a unique manner with aconventional swing clamp on the sediment bowl of a filter pump. t

Another object is toprovide a filter cartridge located and designed sothat fluid enters and leaves a central portion at one end thereof andwhich induces a sharp turn in the fluid path so as tot` facilitateseparation of particles from the fluid stream. t

Other objects and advantages ofthe present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description wherein reference ismade to the drawings intwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross-sectional View through an automotive typefuel pump sediment bowl and the improved filter element of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a top elevation of the filter element partially broken awayto show the internal construction of the filter element; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of filter elementwherein the center tube is supported by a combination end plate andgasket.

,The filter element of the present invention comprises a pleated papercartridge having a novel multifunction upper end cap in the form of` adisc or radial flange that is larger than the diameter of the cartridge.The flange functions to properly locate and support the cartridge inoperative position andalso serves as a gasket to seal the joint betweenthe sediment bowl and the supporting Structure therefor. c locate andsupport a center tube of the cartridge. The end cap also provides boththe inlet and outlet for fluid flow and the structure is arranged sothat fluid must make a sharp 180 turn at the other end of the cartridgeThe end cap may also be used to let chamber 15 that communicates withthe inlet side of the fuel pump section (not shown). The housing 12 has-a downwardly depending peripheral rim 16 that, in cooperation with anannular seating face 17, accepts and positions the upper portion 18 of asediment bowl 19. The sediment bowl 19 is conventionally made from glassto facilitate inspection of the filter element 10 and to determine howmuch dirt has been separated out of the fuel.

As is well known, the sediment bowl 19 is biased upwardly towards theseating face 17 of the housing 12 by a swing clamp 20 comprising aU-shaped wire rod 21, the end portions 22 and 23 of which are engaged insuitable recesses 24 and 25,'r-espectively, in the housing 12. Apositioning pad 26 is biased upwardly into a circular recess 28 in thebottom of the bowl 19 by a thumb screw l`29 that rotates on anupstanding screw 30 that extends between the swingable wire rod 21 andthe pad 26.

As shown by the arrows in FIGURE 1, fuel enters the filter housing 12through the inlet passage 14 and flows downwardly into the bowl 19 andthen after a 180 turn upwardly through the filter element 10, it thenturns `good filtration with relatively low resistance to gas or liquidflow. The material sold under the trademark Du-ocron by the WalkerManufacturing Company of Racine, Wisconsin, is very satisfactory. Thefilter sheet 35 isfolded into a plurality of longitudinally extendingpleats 36 with successive folds radially displaced from each other, andit will be seen that it has a large surface area. The upper and lowerends 38 and 39, respectively, of the pleats 36 are glued or bonded by asuitable substance, for example a plast-ic adhesive, to the upper andlower end caps 40 and 41, respectively, to prevent bypassing of the fuelaround the filter paper 35. A center tube 42, which is of substantiallysmaller diameter than the inner diameter of the filter element 10defined by the `filtered fuel that has passed through the filtermaterial 35.

`The lower end cap 41 has its outer peripheral edge turned up in a rim43 that locates the outer folds of the 1 pleats 36 of the filtermaterial 35. The inner diameter of the lower end cap 41 is turnedupwardly to form a flange 44 that fits inside and is glued to the bottomend of the center tube 42. The upper end 45 of the tube 42 isunsupported and projects `freely within an opening 46 in the top end cap40. Upon installation of the filter element 10 in the filter 11, theupper end 45 of the tube 42 sealably engages a downwardly extending boss48 on the housing 12 to insure passage of fuel downwardly through thetube 42. The tube 42 is imperforate so that fuel must pass downwardlythrough the tube 42, then upwardly and radially inwardly through thepaper lter element 35, and then upwardly into the annular charnber 15.

It will be noted that the sharp turn that the fluid must take at thebottom of the cartridge it) will cause some of the heavier particles tobe separated out by centrifugal force. At the top of the cartridge thefuel must also malte va sharp turn, and if any particles should remainin the fuel there will be a tendency for them to be separated out todrop down on the top of end cap 41.

The top end cap 40 is formed of material that can function as a gasketand preferably has the same diameter as the upper end 18 of the sedimentbowl 19. Thus, the top end cap 40 properly locates the cartridge andacts as a gasket that seats on the face 17 at the base of the rim 16 onthe housing 12. When upward pressure is applied to the sediment bowl 19upon upward advancement of the clamping screw 29, the upper edge 1S onthe sedi ment bowl 19 is biased against the end cap t0 whereupon itfunctions as a seal to provide a fiuidtight connection between the bowl19 and the housing.

it is also apparent that the end cap 40 is the means by which the filterelement l@ is positioned and supported within the sediment bowl i9.

If it is desired to clean the bowl 19 of sediment which may have droppedto the bottom thereof, or it if is desired to change filter elements 10,the sediment bowl 19 is unclaniped by backing off the screw 29 whereuponthe filter element 10 may be pulled downwardly and removed.

Referring to FIG. 3, a modified filter cartridge 60 differs from thepreviously described filter element 10 in that an upper end cap 61 ofthe cartridge 60 has a plurality of small openings 62 that provide anoutlet for filtered fuel. The end cap 61 has a central opening 64 thatserves as a support for the upper end 65 of a center tube 66. In otherrespects, the cartridge 60 is similar to the cartridge 10 describedhereinbefore.

While we have illustrated our invention in connection with a specifictype of filter element which is used in a specific environment, it willbe apparent that modifications can be made without departing from thespirit and the scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. A filter element adapted to be contained within a two part fiuidfilter enclosure having facing sealing surfaces and delining uid inletand fluid outlet means comprising a pleated annular filter body havinglongitudinally extending inner and outer pleats, an imperforate centertube disposed coaxially with said pleats and spaced radially inwardlyfrom said inner pleats to define an annular fiuid chamber in the spacebetween said center tube and said pleated annular filter body, a firstend cap affixed to one end of said filter body and forming a sealtherewith, said first end cap being in sealing engagement with therespective end of said center tube for closing said fluid chamber atsaid end, and a second end cap affixed to the other end of said filterbody for effecting a seal therewith, said second end cap having a pliantportion extending radially outwardly beyond said outer pleats, saidpliant portion being adapted to be engaged between the facing sealingsurfaces of the lter enclosure parts to form a sealing gasket thereforand for supporting said filter element therefrom, said second end capforming a fiuid passage in communication with said tiuid chamber andbeing adapted to communicate with one of the fluid means defined by thefilter enclosure, one end of said center tube being adapted tocommunicate with the other fluid means of the filter enclosure forradial fluid flow through said pleated annular filter body.

2. A filter element as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second end capterminates radially inwardly of the pleated annular filter body andradially outwardly of the center tube to define the fluid passage.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,159,196 5/1939Babitch 210-438 2,772,001 11/1956 Bowers 210-439 X 2,902,162 9/1959Humbert et al. 210-438 FOREIGN PATENTS 145,990 5/1936 Austria.

999,955 2/1952 France.

789,280 l/1958 Great Britain.

REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Pri/nary Examiner.

HERBERT L. MARTIN, Examiner.

1. A FILTER ELEMENT ADAPTED TO BE CONTAINED WITHIN A TWO PART FLUIDFILTER ENCLOSURE HAVING FACING SEALING SURFACES AND DEFINIG FLUID INLETAND FLUID OUTLET MEANS COMPRISING A PLEATED ANNULAR FILTER BODY HAVINGLONGITUDINAL EXTENDING INNER AND OUTER PLEATS, AN IMPERFORATED CENTERTUBE DISPOSED COAXIALLY WITH SAID PLEATS AND SPACED RADIALLY INWARDLYFROM SAID INNER PLEATS TO DEFINE AN ANNULAR FLUID CHAMBER IN THE SPACEBETWEEN SAID CENTER TUBE AND SAID PLEATED ANNULAR FILTER BODY, A FIRSTEND CAP AFFIXED TO ONE END OF SAID FILTER BODY AND FORMING A SEALTHEREWITH, SAID FIRST END CAP BEING IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THERESPECTIVE END OF SAID CENTER TUBE FOR CLOSING SAID FLUID CHAMBER ATSAID END, AND A SECOND END CAP AFFIXED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID FILTERBODY FOR EFFECTING A SEAL THEREWITH, SAID SECOND END CAP HAVING A PLIANTPORTION EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARLDY BEYOND SAID OUTER PLEATS, SAIDPLIANT PORTION BEING ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BETWEEN THE FACING SEALINGSURFACES OF THE FILTER ENCLOSURE PARTS TO FORM A SEALING GASKET